As women’s rights advocate Elizabeth Cady Stanton once said, “Woman will always be dependent until she holds a purse of her own.”
On Tuesday, nearly 1,400 carried their purses – and their checkbooks – into the Adam’s Mark Hotel in downtown Denver for the Colorado Women’s Foundation’s Gender Matters luncheon.
The annual event is an opportunity for the 18-year-old advocacy group to raise money and awareness for its programs, which promote economic self- sufficiency for girls and women.
After a lunch of salmon salad and pumpkin cheesecake, the mostly female audience was entertained by actress Kathy Najimy, star of “Sister Act,” “Hocus Pocus” and the TV series “King of the Hill.” She shared stories about her growth as a feminist and urged audience members to think big.
“If women ruled the world,” she said, “rivers would flow with Diet Coke with Lime. There would be a 24-hour All-Oprah Everyday channel. And there would be a shorter distance between the very rich and the very poor.”
Foundation president Gretchen McComb added this appeal: “You have the power to make a difference. Write a check today.”
By the end of the day, nearly $300,000 had been raised, between 85 percent and 90 percent of it from corporations, board chairwoman Joy Johnson said.
Linda Castrone is Assistant Business Editor at The Denver Post. She can be reached at lcastrone@denverpost.com or 303-820-1452.
